Australians now have a new, free way to learn the basics of wound care, with a first-of-its-kind consumer training series officially launched on 30 September 2026.

Developed specifically for consumers, the interactive training series provides practical, evidence-based information to help Australians better understand wounds, support healing, prevent complications and recognise when professional advice may be needed.

The training is now freely available at bewoundaware.org, giving Australians access to reliable wound care information wherever they are.

Practical wound care knowledge in just minutes

The training features four short, interactive modules covering key aspects of wound care:

• Taking care of wounds at home
• Warning signs of wounds
• Wound prevention and healthy skin
• First aid kit essentials

Each module takes just 3–7 minutes to complete and includes three multiple-choice questions to reinforce key learnings.

Presented by experts in their respective fields, the modules are designed to give people the knowledge and confidence to take a more active role in their health and wound care.

The training explains what consumers can do to support healing, how wounds can be prevented where possible and, importantly, when it is time to seek advice from a health professional.

Supporting Australians to act early

The free training has been developed for Australians across the community, with a particular focus on carers, families, people with lived experience of wounds and communities at risk of developing chronic wounds.

By making trusted wound care information accessible and easy to understand, the initiative aims to help people feel more informed and empowered to act early.

A key objective of the training is to support Australians to recognise the early warning signs that a wound may not be healing as expected and understand when appropriate escalation to a health professional is needed.

Early recognition and intervention can play an important role in preventing wounds from becoming chronic and reducing avoidable complications and hospitalisations associated with wound care.

Expert-led education

The training series brings together an experienced line-up of wound care professionals, ensuring consumers receive practical advice informed by clinical expertise.

The educators featured in the series are:

• Hayley Ryan – Clinical Nurse Consultant
• Melissa Freeman – Clinical Nurse specialising in wound care
• Alix Clarke – Clinical Nurse Specialist
• Lusi Sheehan – Wound Care Pharmacist

Their expertise helps translate important wound care knowledge into practical, easy-to-understand information that consumers can use in their everyday lives.

Officially launched during Wound Awareness Week

The new consumer training was officially launched in Hobart on Wednesday 30 September by Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care Rebecca White MP and renowned burns surgeon and wound care expert Professor Fiona Wood AO 2005 Australian of the Year and recipient of the Royal Society's 2026 King's Medal.

The launch event, held at Your Hobart Doctor GP Clinic, brought together the presenters featured in the training series, leading Tasmanian clinicians and representatives from Wounds Australia to celebrate the addition of the new training to the Be Wound Aware resource suite.

The launch marked an important step in making wound care education more accessible to the Australian community.

The training is now live

Australians can access the free consumer training at bewoundaware.org and complete the modules at their own pace.

Whether you are caring for someone with a wound, have lived experience of wounds, want to better understand wound prevention or simply want to know what to keep in your first aid kit, the training provides practical information to help you become more wound aware.

Explore the free training today at bewoundaware.org.

About Be Wound Aware

Be Wound Aware is Wounds Australia's campaign to provide all Australians with the knowledge to prevent, treat and heal wounds effectively.